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Deadly Movies Cameos: John Hurt in ‘Spaceballs’ (1987)

“Oh No! Not Again”

Eight years after John Hurt depicted cinema’s greatest birth scene he returned to parody himself in Mel Brookes’ ‘Spaceballs‘ (1987). Complete with Ripley and Parker lookalikes Hurt replays the birth scene in the distinctly more Brookes surroundings of a space diner. Even though the alien is pretty cheapo-looking this cameo benefits from the deft touch of another parody, namely Chuck Jones’ seminal animated WB short ‘One Froggy Evening‘ (1955). Leaving the always fertile, warm gooeyness of John Hurt’s innards, the alien dons a straw-hat and cane to perform Froggy’s infamous ‘Hello Ma’Baby’ routine, complete with high kick. It’s a fairly hilarious moment, the kind of stupid nonsense you think about when drunk.., “Wouldn’t it be cool if John Hurts bastard alien child did the frog dance from that old Chuck Jones cartoon?”